We camped in a field at the side of the road, under the shelter of some trees growing closely together. I felt impelled to share my provisions. I set up my sleeping bag some way away from them, my thoughts whirling as I wondered desperately what to do.
"Did you hear that?" Caleb said. It was the first time he had spoken. "Foxes. Better go and check."
His stepfather merely grunted.
Caleb a little away, then he turned, and beckoned to me.
I hesitated. Then I swallowed, and said as an excuse, "Foxes? Let me help." I hastened up to him. He pressed a finger to his lips, and made me remain silent until we were quite a distance from Mr. Coleman.
"You have to be careful!" He said finally. "I - I know what you are."
"A witch?" I asked, under my breath.
He nodded. "And who you are. Julia Adams, who was attacked last night with her parents."
Surprisingly, I inclined my head, and made no effort to lie. I completely ignored a crunch of dead leaves nearby.
"My father is a Death Eater," Caleb continued. "His name's Amycus Carrow - he quickly changed it when introducing himself. And he knows who you are as well. He was sent here to see if you were still alive - we checked your house before. You were gone. He knew you had run away, and found your footprints in the road. He means to kill you, to get you out of the way. You need to escape."
"And your his stepson?" I asked sharply.
"Yes, but that doesn't matter!" He said angrily.
I eyed him distrustfully. Then I realised I had to go, if Amycus Carrow really did intend to kill me.
"I should thank you, but I don't trust you enough yet," I said, with a rueful smile, in spite of my situation.
"I don't blame you." Caleb smiled too. Then his urgency returned. "You need to leave - now."
I nodded. "Very well then, if what you say is true. I would have left anyway."
Then, cautiously, we proceeded back to our camp. My head was buzzing with all the information Caleb had just given me but I kept myself as casual and calm as ever as I knelt down by my sleeping bag. Then I noticed that Mr. Coleman (or rather, Amycus Carrow) was no longer lying down. He was standing up, and his right hand rested within his cloak - not a good sign. Nervously, I stood up, and Caleb caught my eye. His expression contained shock and additional urgency.
"Can't you sleep?" I asked, trying to stop my voice trembling.
The Death Eater leered. "Well, I can't really with you living."
Before I knew it he had pulled out his wand and shouted, "Avada Kedevra!"
"Protego!" I heard the shout and the shield shown golden as the green jet of light collided with it. Caleb grabbed my arm. "Come on!" He yelled, and we tore off, Caleb casting additional spells over his shoulder. We ran into the night, knowing a Death Eater pursued us and intended murder.
Finally, we heard no more spells or angry shouts behind us and stopped. A stitch seared in my side and I clutched it, panting breathlessly. Caleb was in a similar exhausted state beside me.
"This is as far as I think we can go," he said. "I think we can rest. We can have turns watching."
I nodded. "I'll go first."
As I leaned wearily against a nearby tree, I thought of what I had suddenly plunged into, that had just started last night. What on earth was going to happen next?

THE END
(Continued in a 2nd book coming soon, called "A New Day Begun".)